Agitating device



Dec. 17, 1935. A M. 5|NK$ 2,024,482

' AGITATING DEVICE Filed June 9, 1955 i Sheets-Sheet 1 W/7'/VESS.

INVENTOR.

Mmm/v H s//wfs Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE My invention relates generally to devices for stirring mixtures, and .more particularly to a` device that may be utilized i-n combination with aV cooling unit of a refrigerator for stirring ice cream and other mixtures While freezing.

An object of my invention is to provide for stirring ice cream and other mixtures as they are being frozen in the cooling unit of a refrigerator. Y

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device that may be removably positioned in theY cooling unit of a Yrefrigerator for stirring ice cream and other mixtures. A stillV further object of my'invention is -torprovide for reciprocating an agitator through ice cream or other mixtures as they .are being frozen in the cooling unit of a refrigerator.

Another object of my invention is to provide i for giving a compound movement to an agitator,

partaking of .both a reciprocating movement and a rotating movement, so that the ice cream or other mixtures are amply and thoroughly stirred as they are being frozen.

It isalso an object of my invention to provide for discontinuing the stirring action when the ice cream or other mixture attains a certain degree of stiffness. f

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had by referring to the following description, taken inV connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like reference characters, and in which:

Figure '1 represents a plan view of an agitating device, embodying the features of my invention;

Figure 2v isgan enlarged front end view, partly in section, of -my agitating device, taken along theV line II--IIof Figure 1;

Figure 3 is-'an enlarged cross-sectional view of V,a traveling member, taken along the linev III- III Yof Figure 1, and ,is shown in combination'with afragmentary view of a rotating shaft having an endless threaded groove provided,

thereon; l

Figure 4 4is a fragmentary plan View of a modiedl form Aof my agitating device, in which the agitator vcomprises two similarly constructed ro-l switch which disconnects the motor from the supply source when the ice cream or other mixture attains a certain degree of stiifness.

With reference to Figures l, 2 and 3 of the drawings, my agitating device comprises, in general, a rectangular shaped container Il), a suppcrt I I that is adapted to engage the upper'peripheral edge of the container I Il, two rotating shafts I2 having an endless threaded groove 23, an agitator I5 that is disposed to be reciprocally actuated by the rotating shafts I2, and a motor 4I for simultaneously actuating the two rotating shafts I2;V l

The container I0 may be constructed o-f any suitable material, and may be of any suitableY size, so long as it fits within the cooling u nit of a refrigerator, of which a fragmentary portion is indicated bythe reference character 25 of Figure 2. In this embodiment of my invention, the support II isprovided with two depending spaced portions, thus constituting a relatively deep groove which engages the upper peripheral edge of the container I0. In this manner, the support VII may be easily and freely mounted upon, or removed from, the container IU. Further, the cto-operative engagement between the container I0 and the support I I positively secures the support II Vfrom slipping or otherwise falling off the container Iil, unless the container is Y turned upside down. Y

As illustrated, the corners of the support II are provided with lugs I3, which constitute bearings'for the two rotating shafts I2 that reciprocally actuate `the agitator I5. Toprevent any axial movement of the shafts I2, I utilize collars I4 which maybe suitably keyedto the shafts `I2 and which slidably engage the inner face of the lugs I3.

Mounted upon each of the rotating shafts I2 is a traveling member I8, having a bearing sleeve 22 which slidably engages the rotating shaft I2.

Within each of the traveling members I "B is a swiveledY element 2 I having a tonguefor engaging the endless threaded grooves 23 of the `rotating shafts. As illustrated, the swiveled element 21` may be secured in position by means of a threaded lug 2l. By means ofthe co-operative action of the swiveled element 2 I, and the endless threaded groove 23 of the rotating shaft, the traveling Vmembers ldarecaused to travel simultaneously fromoneend of the threaded portion of the shaft to the other. With particular reference to Figure 3, the .rotation of the shaft I2, -one-half'ofj a revolution in a-clockwise direction, as viewed from the left-hand end, causes that portion of the CII threaded groove, indicate-d by the reference character 3| to assume a position under the tongue f the swiveled element 2|, thus actuating the traveling member I8 to the left; a further clock.- wise rotation of the shaft I2, one-half of a revolution, causes that portion of the groove indicated by the reference character 32 to assume a position under the tongue of the swiveled element 2l, thus further actuating the traveling member I8 to the left; a further clockwise rotation of the shaft I2, one-half of a revolution, causes that portion of the threaded groove indicated by the reference character 33 to assume aposition under the tongue of the swiveled element 2l; a further clockwise rotation of the shaft, one-half of a revolution, causes that portion of the threaded groove represented by the reference character 34 to assume a position under the tongue of the swiveled element 2i thus ,moving the traveling member I8 to the right; and a further clockwise rotationof the shaft I2, one-half of a revolution, causes that portion of the threaded grooves represented by the reference character 35 to assume a position under the tongue of the swlveled element 2 I, thus actuating the traveling member I 8 further to the right. Hence, it is noted that during the above described rotation of the rotating shaft I2, the traveling member I8 first moves to the left and then to the right, the reversing taking place as that portion of the endless threaded groove which lies on the opposite side of the rotating shaft I2, as shown in Figure 3, and being that portion between the reference characters 32 and 33, -moves past the tongue of the swiveled element 2|. Therefore, the continuous rotation of the threaded shaft I2 causes the traveling members I8 to reciprocate simultaneously from one end of the threaded portion of the shaft to the other. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the traveling members I8 are provided with openings I9, thus exposing the tongue of the swiveled element 2l, so that in case any frost is scraped out of the threaded groove 23, the frost may be ejected through the opening I9.

Bridging the two traveling members I8 is a cross-member 26, beneath which are positioned in a staggered relation, a plurality of square agitating members I6. As shown, these square agi- /tating members I6 may be connected to the crossmember 26 by means of the illustrated screws I'I, or any other suitable means. Thus, as the crossmember 26 is actuated from one end of the container to the other, the square agitating memy bers I6 sweep through and thoroughly agitate the ice cream or other mixture in the container I0, as it is being frozen.

As a means for continuously rotating the shafts I2, I employ a suitable electric motor 4I having its base mounted against the front edge of the support II. Extending from each side of the electric motor 4I, is a shaft 42 upon which is mounted a worm 43 that meshes with a worm wheel 44 mounted on the left-hand ends of the two rotating shafts I2.

When making ice cream or other frozen mixtures, the prepared liquid that is to be frozen is poured into the container I0 after'which the entire assembly is inserted within the cooling unit of the refrigerator, except possibly the motor, which may in some cases, depending uponv the construction of the cooling unit, be partially exposed. When the agitating device is positioned in the cooling unit 25 of the refrigerator, the electric plug 6'I may be plugged in a suitable socket provided inside of the box of a modern household refrigerator. Then, by depressing the push button of the overload switch 50, the motor 4I is energized, thus operating the agitator I5.

In this manner, the prepared liquid that is to be frozen into ice cream is continuously stirred as it is being frozen. As the ice cream attains a certain degree of stiffness, I find that in order to prevent heating of the motor it is advisable to disconnect it from the supply circuit. This may be done by utilizing the overload switch 50 connected in series circuit relation between the 4motor 4I and the electric plug 61. As diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 7, the overload switch 5B comprises a stationary contact 10, a movable contact 'II carried on the lower end of a swinging arm 12, a bimetallic strip 66 that holds the movable contact 1I against the stationary contact 10, and a heating element 69 for influencing the action of the bimetallic strip 66. The left-hand end of the bimetallic strip 66 is mounted upon a stationary member 65, and the free end of the bimetallic strip 66 is somewhat reduced, so that the reduced portion mayV slide into an opening 'I3 of the swinging arm 12, when the bimetallic element 66 swings upwardly, as a result of overheating from the heating element 69. Therefore, in actual operation, when the ice cream attains a certain degree of stiffness, the current drawn by the electric motor increases to a point, such that the heat generated by the heating element 69 causes the bimetallic strip 66 to deflect upwardly, in which case the reduced end of the bimetallic strip 66 enters the hole 'I3 and allows the spring V'I4 to bias the movable contact II from the stationary contact 10. The separation of the contacts, as is apparent, disconnects the motor 4I from the electric supply source. When the bimetallic element 66 is cooled, the switch 50 may be reclosed by depressing the push button l5, in which case the bimetallic element 66 again deflects downwardly and holds the movable contact 'II against the stationary contact 1I).

With reference to Figures 4, 5 and 6, I illustrate a modified form of my agitating device. In this modified form, the agitator comprises two revolving sprockets 53 beneath which are mounted a plurality of square agitating elements 55. The teeth of the sprockets 53 are designed to mesh into a toothed rack 5I provided on the inner surface of the support II. As shown best in Figure 6, the toothed rack 5I is formed by providing equally spaced apertures 52 along the inner surface of the support II.

The sprockets 53 may be suitably mounted'beneath the cross-plate 26. As illustrated in the cross-section of Figure 5, the mounting comprises a screw 59, upon which is rst inserted a washer 5l, then a nut 58, then a sleeve 60, then a second 501;

washer 6I, and then a second nut 62. In this assembly the sprockets 53 are revolubly mounted around the sleeves 60 as a bearing surface, and

are constrained vertically between the nut 58 and y.

the cross member 26 is actuated from one end of 70! the container I0. to the other. The composite stirring action of the modified form of my agitator is such that the stirring action partakes both of a reciprocating motion and arotating motion, thus providing a structure for giving a 7s,

good stirring action to In both forms of my invention, the combined mechanical advantage of the rotating shafts I2 5 and the worm 43 and the worm wheel 44 is very great, so that the motor 4| may be relatively 'smalL and still stir the ice cream to a point that it Vbecomes relatively stiff before the overload switch 50 disconnects the motor 4|l from the supm ply source. While not shown,V the motor 4I and the worm 43 and the worm wheel 44 may be completely orpartially enclosed to facilitate the handling and cleaning of my agitatingdevice.

Although I have described my invention with a 15 certain degree of particularity, it isunderstood that the present disclosure has been VVmade only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted 20 to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim as my invention:Y The combination, with a cooling unit of a refrigerator, of a container in which ice cream or 25 other mixtures may be cooled, said container being adapted for insertion Within the cooling unit of the refrigerator, a support removably mounted upon the container, an agitator adapted to stir the ice cream or other mixture to be cooled, means for mounting the agitator upon the sup- 5 port, a toothed rack provided on the support, a rotating member having teeth that mesh with the toothed rack for rotating the agitator, driving means including endless screw means mounted longitudinally of, and on the outside of, the con- 10 tainer for reciprocally operating the agitator whereby no lubricant or other material may drop in the container and whereby the agitating action partakes both of a reciprocating motion and a rotating motion, the arrangement of the support, l5 the agitator, and the driving means being such that the entire agitating assembly may be removably ,mounted upon the container, so that when the ice cream or other mixtures are frozen the entire agitating assembly may be removed from the 20 v container in which case thecontainer may be reinserted within the cooling unit of the refrigerator forfurther chilling of the ice cream or other mixtures.

MORTON H. SINKS. 25 

